When I Make A Promise, I Keep It
by ninjagojay246
Summary: Kai feels responsible for Jay's tragic death. At his casket, he promises Jay and himself he will find whoever did this and destroy them. So he sets out on a long, dangerous journey to find closure and fulfil the promise he must keep. WARNING charcter death. cover photo belongs to witch-girl-pilar. /story/story edit property.php?storyid 9091244
1. Chapter 1

_Kai P.O.V._

I could hear the rain softly padding against the window. The sky was stormy, and each time lightning struck, the thunder roared over Nya's harder cries. It was all my fault. I was with him when it happened. We were fighting some skeletons. We see those losers all over town, and when they see us they just retreat. We had a reputation of stopping the snakes and stone army, as well the Overlord, so why wouldn't they run? But that day was different. There were more then just a few.

_Flashback_

_ "Common, Jay. I saw a skeleton over there! Let's knock down that bag of bones!" We walked over to the spot the skeleton had been. He was gone. Jay spoke, "What the-" but a bag was thrown over us. _

_ The next thing we knew we were in the Underworld surrounded by the whole army. We tried our best to fight, but they were surprisingly strong. After a drawn-out battle, we won. Just as we we're going to find a way back home, something happened. Jay, who was in front of me, stopped moving. "Jay?" I had said, curious to why he had stopped. He dropped to his knees. I ran in front of him, and noticed it. A bow had been placed in his chest. _

_ I didn't even care about getting the guy who did this. They would suffer at one point anyway. _

_ I did my best to heal the wound. Took off my shirt and used it as a bandage, carried him a while, but it didn't work. I managed to get us out of the Underworld by making a vortex with our elemental blades. I had placed him under a cherry blossom tree at the outskirts of Ninjago City. In a small park with no people. _

_ The tree was one with great importance. A few years back, Jay proposed to my sister under it. They had gotten married a few years later. Just earlier that day Jay and Nya were discussing children, deciding they wanted some._

_ He had looked at me with his eyes meaningfully. "K-Kai. I have some messages f-for you. Lloyd. J-just tell him he was my best friend. Always made me feel in reality, and important. Tell Cole I was glad to be his brother, and happy he was the leader, since he was a great one. T-tell Zane I was proud to fight along side such a wise nindroid. A-and Sensei. T-tell him he taught me so much. He made me who I am today. M-my parents. They where there for me. T-they raised me, and are amazing._

_ And Kai, you, just, you were always there. Even if you didn't want t-to be. Like when I married Nya. You were my best man, and I made the right chose. This isn't your fault. I know you think it is. But promise me two things." I nodded my head quickly. _

_ He spoke again, "Never give up. O-on anything. I know you must think that sound stupid but I gave up on a lot of things, and I regret it. Even stupid things. Inventions. But I really do regret it. And lastly, tell Nya she meant every thing to me. If I could, I would renew our vows everyday. Making them better. S-she must carry on. Tell her I love her. Promise me. Promise you'll tell everyone what I wanted to tell them. Promise me. Promise me, Kai." _

_ I was unable to talk, but nodded quickly. He smiled one last Jay smile, and I watch as his eyes glossed over._

_ End of Flashback_

I was brought back to reality with another streak of lightning and sob from Nya. My nose and eyes began to burn and my vision blurred up. I quickly wiped my eyes with a sniffle and straightened my tie, thinking that would keep my mind of of things.

My tie was a velvet red one with vertical blue stripes. My suit was black, as was my pants, and my hair was stuck up as usual. I felt guilty. I haven't had it in me to tell the others what Jay had said. It would make them more sad. I just, couldn't. But I had to at one point. I mean, I promised!

Lloyd walked up to me and patted me on the shoulder. I spun around to talk to him. He looked handsome. His light blond hair wavy in the front as usual. Green bow tie with a blue middle. Black suit and pants, as well as shiny black shoes. He looked at me with a sincere look, but his eyes were bloodshot like he had been crying for days.

That was it. I had to tell him what Jay said. "How you handling things?" He asked me. I shrugged. "Not like anyone's taking it good. But I have to tell you something." He looked curious and met my gaze. "What? What is it?" I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. "Before he, you know, passed he told me-" the door click and in the door frame was Cole. Standing tall trying to hold back tears. "It's time," he said in a deep, solemn voice.

It was still storming. Jays' favorite weather. I had my arm around Nya as she allowed tears to stream out of her. We were the last to go up to say our final words to him. It had been a long wake, and tomorrow wouldn't be much better at the funeral. My tears weren't close to running dry. I saw Cole shed a few tears, and Lloyd still acted like a child and sobbed, wiping his nose with his sleeve when he thought no one was looking.

Zane's hard drive over-heated and half his face fell of. The tears and metal mixed and he had to leave for a minute to stop his glitches.

Sensei really just stroke his beard in the corner, but some tears squeezed through his closed eyelids. I felt bad. He didn't just lose a student, he also lost a son.

I just stayed sitting. I kept replaying his death in my head. My promise. His eyes.

Then I broke. I screamed and fell on the floor crying. No one came to my side to help me. I looked around and realized the place was closed. It was dark, but still well lit from outside light. I walked over to Jay's closed casket and slowly opened it. There he lay in the same outfit we all saw him in on his wedding. A dark blue tux, with a bright blue tie he also wore on his and Nya's first date.

I inhaled a shaky breath, and let it out with some cold tears not nearly as cold as Jay was now. "Jay. I-I'm sorry I haven't told them yet. I-I will, just not now. But I'm promising you more then that. Whoever killed you _will_ pay. I will find them, and make them pay for your suffering. Our suffering over you. Everything. Jay, I promise you that. And when I make a promise, I keep, that promise. I love you Jay. Your my brother forever. Dead or alive."

I slowly closed the casket. I had a goal. More then one. I will tell the others what Jay said. What he needed them to hear. Everything that was his, 'last words.' I'll tell all of them the message Jay sent to them.

But secondly,

I was going to find and destroy who did this.


	2. Chapter 2

_Kai P.O.V __(most of this story is his P.O.V.)_

_Where do I start? I can't just leave to find who did this. I have to tell everyone first. Okay, so I'll stop at Ed and Edna's now and tell them what Jay said._

I made my way down the sidewalk of the city. It was pretty late, and the only light left were some street lights, which there were surprisingly few of, and some headlights on cars that flew by every now and then.

As I continued walking, I found myself at a junk yard. A glowing sing that flickered from time read, "Ed and Edna's Scrap and Junk." I was here.

I walked in and glanced around. I spotted their small trailer. I approached it with caution, afraid I would hear them crying, or something. But it was silence. I took that as a sign of relief, but realized that Jay had once said that his parents were never quite, and it was a bad thing if they were. But I knocked on the door, and Ed opened it. He perked up a little when he saw me, and called his wife forward.

She gave me a bit of a forced, but warm smile with concerned eyebrows. Frown lines covered their foreheads, but that might just be old age. Ed seemed to have let his beard grow a bit more, and it didn't fall down, but instead it grew sideways across his chin.

They sat down and offered me a seat that I took. "So, Kai," Edna began, "how are you, sweetie?" I was, honestly, a little nervous. If I said one wrong word, they could burst into tears about Jay. "Well, I guess life hasn't exactly been treating anyone great lately." They both gave a quick, quiet chuckle.

"But," I began, "there's something I have to tell both of you." They gave me concerned looks. "Oh, what is it honey?" Edna purred. "Well, I-It's just Jay, b-before he, you know, he said some stuff. To all of us. How he felt. I promised him I would tell you he said that you guys were always there for him. He really appreciated it. He also wanted you guys to know that you made him who he is- er, _was._ And if you allow me personally to chime in, you made a great, amazing man."

They maintained their smiles but had tears in their eyes. I looked at the clock to find an accuse to leave. "Well, it's pretty late, I should get going." They nodded and hugged me. I opened the door and before closing it, Ed said, "Thank you, Kai. You helped us out tonight." I gave a little grin and looked at the ground. I gave a short nod, sharp breath in, and closed the door.

I shoved my hands in my pockets that don't exist. "Ugh, I'm way too used to having my hands in pockets. Now I'm practically pretending there's pockets in pants that don't have any." (The reason I included that was because I do that a lot.)

I make my way to The Bounty, which was placed in a small field next to Nya and I's old village. Everyone is scattered. I find Lloyd in our room when I go to change, sitting on Jay's old bed upside down inhaling the scent. A little creepy.

After changing into my striped pajamas, I went to the living room, were Cole was. I decided to tell him. Now.

"Cole?" I ask quietly, scared he would blow a fuse or something. He looked up slowly from the T.V. that was off. "Yes?"

I sit down beside him. "Listen. Before Jay passed away, he told me something he asked me to tell you." Cole now had his full attention on me, but didn't say a word. "He said that he was proud. Proud to be your brother. Glad you were his leader, since you were a great one. Proud. Just proud of you, Cole." I watch as Cole nose turns pink and his eyes fog up. He squeezes them shut, and turns around. I hear some chocked back sobs, but Cole turns to face me, his cheeks glistening from marks of tears that where wiped away.

"He, he really said all that?" his voice getting high. I nodded slowly. His mouth began to quiver, and his eyes were in a squint. But he released all the pressure inside him, and let a few sobs break his reputation as the tough one. But we all need to cry sometimes. I pulled him in for a sympathy hug, and after a few minutes, he pulled away and stormed out after muttering a few thank yous.

Next was Zane. I walked into the kitchen, and he wasn't cooking, but was there. He sat with a stool pulled up to the table.

I grabbed one myself and sat next to him. He looked over, giving me his attention. "I sense you must tell me something about before Jays' passing." I nodded. "Before he 'passed,' he told me to tell you something. He wanted you to know he was always proud to fight along side someone as wise as you. Nindriod or not, you were his brother and he was proud."

Zane remained looking forward blankly, with his head in both his hands, which were supported by his elbows that sat on the table. I watch a single tear run down his cold, metallic face. He looked at me meaningfully.

"Thank you, Kai. I needed that." He stood up, and got some food out of the fridge. Frozen meet, burger rolls, and two apples. He washed of the apples, cut the one with a knife, and handed the other to me as he began cooking.

I slowly crept up to our bedroom, where I last saw Lloyd. He stayed in the same position. Again, creepy. I tapped him on the shoulder, and he seemed startled. "Hu?" He had fallen asleep. His hair a mess, bags under his eyes, and dried up drool on his face. I chuckled and sat on the bed next to him.

"Lloyd, you remember earlier today before the wake began, I was about to tell you something?" He seemed a little dazed but nodded. "Well, I was gonna say that Jay wanted you to know something. He said that you were always there for him. Helping him. You made him feel like he was in reality, a real person. You just, made him feel real, and important. He wanted you to know that you were his best friend."

Lloyd didn't hold back to cry. He began sobbing all over the place, practically soaking me and the sheets. I patted his back and he shoved his face in my shoulder, wiping his nose on my pajama clothing. I tried holding back my dismay and disgust, and allowed the poor guy cry.

I did feel bad for Lloyd. About everything. Seeing his father be possessed and having to fight a dragon thing after having your childhood taken away form you. Now his best friend just died, and he wasn't there for him. But awhile later he stopped crying and thanked me. "You gave me closure."

I just had to find Sensei and Nya. I walk through the halls of the Bounty and find Nya asleep. Best to not wake her, she hasn't gotten much sleep lately. I search for Sensei and find him in the training room meditating.

"Um, Sensei, may I speak with you a moment?" I ask quietly. "Yes, Kai. Take a seat." I slowly move across the room making no sounds. I sit in front of him, and patiently wait for him to allow me to talk.

"Speak," his voice alarms me, but I talk. "Jay has a message for you. He wanted you to know that you that you taught him so much. He learned so much from you, as we all did. He respected you, and you made him who he was."

Sensei stays still with his eyes closed, legs crossed and arms in one another as he meditated. He let at a low hum, and stroked his beard slowly.

"Okay, you are dismissed," he says back. "Hu? B-but I just got- never mind." I don't feel like arguing. I stand up and leave Sensei in his thoughts.

Great. I was NOT looking forward to this. But I loved Jay, he was- er, _is_ my brother, and I promised him to tell Nya. Everything.

As I paced back and forth across the deck, the faint blue light of the moon casting dancing shadows on the wood surface slowly turned to a Heavenly gold light, eliminating all darkness across the city. I squinted slightly and looked up to the light, realizing that I'd been up all night thinking of what I would tell Nya. The truth, I decided. I would just tell her the truth.

Soon, I heard very soft footsteps on the stairs, and before I could turn around, I heard an equally soft voice. "Kai?" I hear Nya. I turn and see her in her night gown. She takes a seat and I sit next to her.

After a while of just sitting there, embracing the feeling of the light, and being with someone who lost as much as you did, she spoke. "Last night, Zane told me he wanted to talk to me about Jay." I sigh. Oh, Zane. Sometimes you're just clueless. "I was with him. You know that. I don't know why it's been so hard to tell you all. I-I guess I was just being selfish. I was scared of bringing more pain, and not being able to handle any of your guys emotions, but realized that though it may bring tears of remembrance, those memories are of Jay, and Jay always made us happy. When I told everyone else, they were brought joy, and closure, as well tears, but ones that, as I said before, make us happy. Now I need to tell you. He told me so much. How much he appreciates you, and everything about you. He needed you to know that he loved you so much. And I think that if he could talk it all, it wouldn't be enough to describe how much he cared for, and loved you. He still does. But now, he's just not in a physical body. But I guess that makes it better, in a way. Now he is with all of us, all the time. Watching us. Protecting us. He stronger and not limited in any way. He wanted you to know he will always love you, and hold you, even if you don't realize it. He's here. But in or hearts."

I look at Nya sincerely. I know there was a time I didn't exactly approve of them as a couple. All I wanted was my little sister, my only family, to be safe. But I realized, what was there to worry about? Jay was a funny, and although sometimes obnoxious, sweet guy, who had the same wants for her as I did. Jay would never hurt her. And after realizing she was safe, _and_ happy. I sorta let go of all my disapproval. Though I wasn't _completely_ on board with the marriage thing, I got used to it. They were happy and that's all that mattered.

She had tears in her eyes, but a slightly forced smile. She whipped her eyes, and laughed quietly, leaning on and wrapping her arms around me. I allowed her to heavily breathe, trying to hold back sobs. I closed my eyes and leaned back my head.

Soon, I dozed off, as did she, and just saw the death again. But this time, I didn't wake up crying of scared of seeing him die again. Instead, I let him go. But he seemed to be happy. He smiled and laughed like he wasn't in pain. He made some cheesy jokes and ran around the tree a few time. The me in my dream didn't seem surprised, but I was. Then he just sat down, and leaned against the tree, and closed his eyes with a happy sigh and a grin, and never woke up.

Then I realized it. He didn't want to die, and I know it, but he was with me in reality right now, showing me he wasn't afraid when it happened.

I woke abruptly. Nya was gone. I shook my head and rubbed my eyes. Okay, so now I kept all my promises. Well, all but one. I had to find who did this. I know it won't bring him back, but it will bring _me_ back. I'll be happy again, and not have to know that that evil psycho who did this is still out there. Jay would want me to find closure. Even if I'm putting myself in danger, it will be doing it to be happy again, and save the grief of many other families who could lose a love one to this crazy sociopath.

I knew the others had happiness brought back to them, but I wasn't complete yet. I had to do this. I had to find who did this. I couldn't take it anymore. I may not have any leads what so ever, but I'll get some, and destroy them, if it was the last thing I do. It was now decided. I would leave tonight.


	3. Chapter 3

_Kai P.O.V._

I was worried. Nya would think she lost me too once I'm gone. She'd be devastated. I have to leave a note. But what would I write?

I grab a piece of loose leaf paper and a pen. I run different things to write through my mind.

'_Dear loved ones,'. No that's stupid sounding. 'Dearly beloved,'. Wow. Corny much. 'Dear the ones I hold close to my heart,'. That was just an all time low._

This was NOT working. Every other word out of my mind is some cliché word or phrase. What can I write?

At this point, I didn't care. I just wrote whatever came out of my head.

_Dear family,_

_ I had to go. I'm sorry. I promised Jay to do somethings for him, like tell you what he said. But I made a promise to myself. I have to find who did this to him. Who did this to _us._ None of you can come with me. I know you probably think it's dumb to do this alone, but I need closure, too. I wasn't told anything Jay said about me before he passed from any of you. So I'm just left hanging. Waiting for someone to say that Jay wanted me to know he loved me, or appreciated me, but I can't have that. I promise I'll be back soon, and when I make a promise, I keep it._

_ Love,_

_ Kai_

This actually was okay. I read it over again, checking each word carefully. I slowly crease the middle of it, and place it on my bed. Hopefully no one will read it until after the funeral.

**Funeral**

Luckily, It wasn't storming today. But it was gray and cloudy, with no sun, and brutal winds from time to time. Jay's parents were there, as well Sensei, Garmadon, Misako, Lloyd, Nya, Cole, Zane, and me. A few of unnamed people who were previous friends of Jay's were there, and some of his parents friends.

A green sheet lied over an empty hole in the ground that my brothers and I had to dig. That took well over 30 minutes, and was only about 5 meters deep. A priest lifted the top of the casket, and allowed us to place an object with Jay. Jay's parents put a toolbox at the foot of his resting place. Cole put in Jay's kimono we all recently had got. Zane put in his very first suit, and DX suit. Lloyd put in his ZX suit, and lightning blade, and I saw him sneak in a lollipop, a fist to face game, and a comic book.

I watch as Nya sadly placed in a necklace she got from him long ago, which was a smooth silver chain, with a blue light lightning bolt. She also put in a pendant from their wedding. It was on an arch of flowers above from where they had stood. It was in the middle. It was a purple heart with a picture of a lightning bolt on one side for him, and a flame on the other for her. The purple was for the combination of their colors, and the heart was sorta explanatory.

I had to go next. I held his kendo suit, and grasped the item in my hand tight. It was a friendship bracelet he gave to me long ago. I know, I know. It sounds strange. But a long time ago, he got a friendship bracelet for us. One half of the heart was blue, the other red. He kept the blue side, and I got the other. When he showed it to me, I just laughed. He seemed hurt, so I took it anyway, thinking this was really girly, and threw it under my bed when he wasn't looking. I noticed him wearing his everyday. They didn't put it with him in the casket, so I decided to put it on him myself.

I slowly approached the mahogany wood casket. I tried ignoring the glassy eyes staring at me as I walked.

I closed my eyes and shook my head, trying to get back into reality. I placed the uniform on the side. He looked so, lifeless. Paler than usual. His face so skinny, he looked like a doll. He looked so, unreal.

I tried, once again, to ignore everything. I remembered the bracelet in my hand and released my grip. It left a deep mark of a broken heart in my hand, which in one place had broken skin.

I wiped the small amount of blood off, and held his wrist. I slid on the bracelet, and stepped back. I pulled up my sleeve slightly, revealing the red half heart pendent that read: Be, and Fri. I held the small charm on mine and his and placed them together to make a whole heart. I closed my eyes and sighed. I stepped away when I felt someone trying to close the wooden casket.

I felt so silly. One part of me felt completely connected to Jay, and I wanted to stay like that, but the other part also felt stubborn, and cared of what other people thought. I must've looked weird, and girly. I pulled away but knew I would still be connected to him when I wore the bracelet. I wouldn't let anyone know, of course, because, well, I don't want to be thought of as a weirdo or something. I know it's dumb. But I can't change all of me just because I want to be connected to Jay. I'm still Kai.

The casket was placed over the green sheet, and eventually would be under, and in the ground, but not yet. Instead, a crane would put it in.

As limos and people piled out of the small cemetery, I stayed put, lost in thoughts once again. That's been happening a lot lately. I just keep thinking about how all this pain may not have happened if it weren't for me. I could have saved him. But I didn't. Now I just feel like I'm responsible for all these tears.

I walk up to the smooth garnet stone head and read the words imprinted on the front: _Jay Walker. 1991-2013. If tears could create a stairway, and memories a lane, I would walk them and take you back from Heaven to Earth._

_ Beloved friend, student, son, brother, and husband._

More tears overflowed in my eyes, and I didn't wipe them away. They slid down my cheeks. Some hooked under my chin and down my neck, but most fell like rain drops, and hit the ground in front of the tombstone. I tried to guess how far the fallen tear was from the stone, as if it would take my mind off of the last week. I estimated 3 inches away.

I turned away and ran a hand through my spiky hair. Instead of a smooth run through, my fingers intertwined with the mess, and got stuck now and then.

Now that this was all over, I had to leave. I needed to.

I made my way back to the Bounty, and noticed everyone already asleep. Something I haven't gotten much of lately. I glanced at the clock and realized time must have slipped from my hands, considering the ceremony was at 1:00 P.M., and it was 11:36 P.M.

I grabbed a camping back pack, and small fold up tent that fit in the pack, a water purifier water bottle, weapons of all kinds, my uniform and fire blade, and my bracelet. I didn't take one last look at my sister of brothers, knowing it would make this harder.

Before I left, though, I remembered the note. I made sure it was obvious enough for them to see. I left after that, not looking back to make sure I wouldn't change my mind.

I found the Ultra dragon, and hopped on the side were flame was. "Underworld," was all I said. They dragons got up and spun towards the ground at ultra high speed. Soon, we entered a new portal which was the entrance to the Underworld. Luckily, I had changed into my uniform before hand, so my fire blade was equipped to my back. I took it out and held it in hand. I turned back to the dragons. "I'm sorry guys, but you have to go." Flame rubbed his head against me. I laughed and petted him. "I'll see you guys soon. Now go, okay?" They looked up and zoomed into the sky, opening a portal they entered.

I looked around the black and purple landscape. Nothing has changed. Skeletons walked around but seeing I had no interest in beating them, they didn't run away screaming. But I noticed that they still kept their distance.

I walked along the cold stone ground aimlessly. I had no particular place I was going. But soon, even the dark of the Underworld got darker, symbolizing night time. Soon, the only light left was from some random vending machines, some lights that hung on posts, and from the Ferris Wheel Cole, Zane, Jay and I created the first time we did the tornado of creation.

Luckily, though, my fire blade provided enough light to see for about 3 meters in front of me. But even though it was much darker, it was still pretty easy to see.

Soon, my feet grew numb, and I realized that I was very far into the Underworld, and now my only light was from my blade. But I kept walking. Whoever killed Jay probably wouldn't hid among the skeletons, that would be pointless. They'd most likely be even farther in that this.

I should have asked Garmadon about the map out of here. Being the former ruler and all, he'd tell me were to go. I just didn't think that through.

I stumbled over rocks and pebbles as my eye lids grew heavy. I hadn't eaten nor had a drink in 21 hours, since the last I ate and drank was well before the funeral at 8:00 A.M, and it was now the next day at 5:00 A.M. I hadn't even slept for 24 hours or more.

I suddenly felt light headed. The world began to spin. I tripped over a rock and hit the ground with a thump, not bothering to get up. I heard an evil laugh in the distance. _Is this just a hallucination? No. I-It can't be. Right?_

"Mwahahahaha!" _It's getting closer. _

Everything around me began turning black. _No I have to s-stay awake. F-for Jay. I-I can't black out now..._ The last thing I see is a pair of feet slowly and menacingly walking towards me.


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter 4_

I slowly come back to reality and look around. I was still in the Underworld. I could tell. The coldness emanated from the stone constructed world, and the faint purple light reassured me I was in familiar grounds. Well, familiar world, anyway. Even then, though, I don't exactly _know _the Underworld all that well.

Not remembering what happened before I blacked out, I decided to get up and look around. But I immediatly was restrained, and fell back in the chair.

A thick rope wrapped around me and the chair. My body was just so numb from my lack of nutrition, I didn't feel the rough straw like snake dig into my arms.

I felt a pounding in my head, and a sharp pain in my left ankle. I still felt slightly dizzy, too. At least I felt well rested.

I took in my surroundings. I was in a corner of the Underworld. A bit darker, but still light. Then I noticed footprints, and my memories came flooding back. I remembered someone walking toward me before I out. That's who tied me up. That's who brought me here. I had to get

But how? I'm tied up and in an unstable condition. All that's around me is a tiny table about a yard away with a remote on it for who knows what. My fire blade had been taken away, leaving me in my suit without my armor. But I really had to concentrate.

I closed my eyes and squeezed them really tight. The only word that filled my head was fire. Just repeating itself again, and again. Suddenly, I smelled smoke. I looked down at the rope. A small flame had formed on it! Good. Now I just had to use my elemental power to control it and burn the rope. I closed my eyes once again and tried to focus. I saw stars on the inside of my eyelids as I squeezed them shut.

I began to shake a bit from frustration, and shot my eyes open. The fire was slowly working down the layers of the rope, looking like the small flame was falling from the air to the ground. Soon, I was loose. I got up, but not before I noticed someone at the table a few yards in front of me.

I looked up and saw them there. The person who brought me here. He must've been the one who killed Jay! Right? It couldn't be that easy, though. But why would he try to hurt me? He had to have done it!

Before I could think, my legs sprinted forward with anger. My short temper kicking in. But I only got a few steps when I felt an unbearble pain. I collapsed to the floor. It wasn't my pounding head or numb body, though.

I reached up to my neck, where the pain was the worst. I felt a bumpy collar wrapping the skin on my neck. It was dangerously deep in my skin, and some blood leaked out around the edges.

I started to speak since I currently was so shocked I didn't have any common sense. "W-what was that?" But I didn't get an answer. Instead, I got another shock. _That must be what that remote was for._

Suddenly I realized I was shaking from the shock. The eletric streaks ran through my veins, stinging me as it went throughout with unbelievable pain.

My eyes were squeezed shut again, but in pain. I normally don't cry unless someone has died, like with Jay, yet a tear escaped and ran down my face. It slipped down my neck and onto the collar. Then I saw a tiny bit of steam rise up and float away. The burning and electricity the collar was giving off evaporated the tear.

I looked at the man holding the remote. He turned some nozzle up and I immediately knew what it did. I let out a scream and gritted my teeth. I heard the laughing again, and without thinking I reached up and wrapped my fingers around the collar. I cringed as the shock numbed my fingers more. I pulled at the plastic neck until I heard a slight crack. Now, out of anger and pain, I used the small amount of strength I had left to rip it off.

I could tell that where the collar was on my neck was charcoaled, since smoke and steam rose all around me. Even my fingers were jet black, and slightly bloody.

I collapsed back onto the solid ground. My breathing was hitched, and shaky. I knew this person was bigger and more powerful then I at the moment. But adrenaline ran though my veins. I shakily lifted myself off the ground. I glared at this man, and after getting a real look at him, I took a step back.

Half of his body had snake-like scales that were teal. The other half looked human, except for the fact that he had a snake fang slipping out. He was a good 5 inches over me, and had tousled, patted down black hair that had more blood in it then anything. A scar started on the snake side of his face, and ran down to the bottom of his human part, but it all wasn't colored with red blood. The scar was spotted with dark purple blood, but when it hit his human half, it turned regular red blood. His snake side was part muscle, but his human side looked as normal as mine.

Draped in a black robe with red blood splattered on it, he glared back. "Hello, Kai," he spoke in a voice full of evil. It sounded human, yet had an unreal amount of dark within it. His eyes the same. His human side had a dark green color, while the other was purple.

I stared into the mismatched orbs with disgust. "How do you know my name?!" I shouted pacing towards him. He opened his mouth but before he got to answer, I sprinted up to him and grabbed him by his collar. Because of our height difference, I had to extend my arms up a bit to lift him slightly off the ground.

I put my face right up to his. "You did that to Jay, didn't you?!" I spat in his face. He seemed overall amused, and answered me. "Hmp. Boy, I'm the answer to your question. I will be of aid to you. We can team up, you and I. I can help you find who did this. We have different ambitions to finish who did this to your friend, but I will explain to you on our journey. What do you say, hmm?"

I released my grip, and he plunked onto the ground, still with a sly smirk on his face. My angry expression lightened, and then intensified. "If I could really trust you, why did you torture me?" He closed his eyes chuckling lightly as he inched near me. He looked up again. "Don't you understand? I have, hmm, _interesting_ ways of training others. I needed to see what you would do if you were weak, hopeless, alone, and powerless. You managed to escape with adrenaline. I like that." My expression once again lightened. "Fine. But I'm only doing this because I need to at least take another step into finding who did this. But if you try anything, so help me I will-" "Calm down boy. I understand. Perhaps we will befriend eachother through this journey. I am Skylar, by the way." He stuck out his human hand.

I cautiously took it, eyeing him. He grinned at me. Surprisingly, he seemed, well, excited. He probably hasn't been in contact with anyone for a long time. He must be happy to see someone.

"Rest boy. You deserve it. When you wake we will set off." I shook my head. "Aren't we a bit pressed for time?" He laughed. "No, no, boy. I know exactly where they are. After all, I used to live with them."

I nodded and sat down. Then I caught his words. "Woah, woah, woah. What? How do you know these people?" He sighed and paced back and forth. He stopped and turned to me. A single tear slipped out of his jade colored eye. "They betrayed me. I didn't believe what they did was right. I didn't want to grow just to kill and cause others suffering for no reason. So I spoke up. But they beat me and threw me out. They wouldn't kill one of their own, so they only abandoned me. Now I've been trying to stop them, but, they would overthrow me. Now, though, now I have you." He said with a sad smile.

I sighed and shook my head. "But HOW do you know them?" I asked, getting anxious. He stared at me sadly. Then he answered.

" They are my family."


End file.
